Report: Los Angeles Files Lawsuit over 2016 Car Carrier Oil Spill

The city of Los Angeles has filed a lawsuit over an oil spill which occurred at the Port of Los Angeles in 2016 when heavy fuel oil leaked from the 577-foot car carrier Istra Ace, according to local media reports.

The Los Angeles Superior Court lawsuit listed the vessel’s owner Istra Maritime Ltd, the ship’s managing operator Stamco Ship Management Co., and the charterer Mitsui Osk Lines, as defendants.

Reports indicate that the lawsuit seeks civil penalties under California’s Fish and Game Code, as well as an injunction preventing the companies from engaging in future activities that violate the state Health and Safety Code.

Estimates show that some 265 barrels of oil were spilled from the vessel into San Pedro Bay, however, the state Department of Fish and Wildlife reportedly informed that the quantity could be much larger.

The spill, which occurred mid-May 2016, covered more than 70 acres and took 23 days to clean up.

The cause of the discharge was a failure of the inboard piping during the Istra Ace refueling, media reports cite the lawsuit.

World Maritime News Staff